Tornado confirmed after funnel cloud caught on video in Lawrence County

National Weather Service investigators surveyed the damage on Thursday and confirmed that a funnel cloud touched down in Lawrence County on Wednesday evening.

NWS meteorologist Fred McMullen said the tornado was rated as an EF1, with 90 mph winds. That's the second-lowest category on a six-level scale.

"We're looking at a path now of probably a quarter-mile -- it could be expanded larger -- and then a width of about 250 yards," McMullen said.

Along Route 168 in a rural area of North Beaver Township, Ryan Werner watched from across the street as the tornado plowed through his fourth-generation family home on Wednesday. He lost every building on the farm’s property, except his house. (See a photo slideshow.)

"So far, dang near all the buildings are gone," Werner said.

A dairy barn and three machine sheds were ripped into pieces, but the damage to his house was minimal. His 95-year-old grandmother was inside the house when it hit.

Matt Jackson, a WTAE viewer, shot video of a what appeared to be a tornado touchdown along Halltown Road. "I looked out and I could see debris from the barn itself and you could hear all the wood being splintered, and I see it all being sucked up into the sky," he said.

Another viewer captured a funnel cloud on video while driving on Interstate 376 in the North Beaver Township area. And another viewer, Joey Rossi, took a photo of what looked to be a funnel cloud above Route 224 (West State Street) in New Castle.

New Beaver police Officer Keith Beatty also took a picture of an apparent tornado, and New Castle police Officer James Hoyland said he saw extensive flooding there and in Shenango Township, with some roads being closed.

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